Fire service cuts in Dorset and Wiltshire will put lives at risk, say FBU
A number of stations in the county are set to lose a fire engine
The Fire Brigade Union thinks public safety is in danger if planned cuts to Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service go ahead.
The proposals from fire bosses mean eight fire stations across the area face losing a critical fire engine - leaving many with just one appliance.
Val Hampshire, FBU executive council member for the South West, told Greatest Hits Radio that the service is 'cut to the bone' and 'on it's knees' from 14 years of austerity.
Should the plans proceed, stations including Sturminster Newton, Wareham, Corsham, and Marlborough, all face losing an appliance by the end of September.
Poole could also lose an engine by April 2025, with other stations having their capabilities reviewed next year.
Ms Hampshire said that appliances were placed at those locations because of the risks in the area.
"Risk has changed over the years," she admitted, adding: "but it hasn't got easier. It's actually got worse.
"Populations have grown, some of the industry has moved, but the risks are still there."
It will lead to increased response times when fire crews are called upon - despite it already taking longer than ever before for DWFRS to arrive at fires in Wiltshire due to lack of resources.
In 2023, their average response time was 10 minutes and 46 seconds.
Furthermore, staffing cuts already mean firefighters are being sent out in crews of four as opposed to the safe standard of five.
This, Ms Hampshire said, puts everyone at greater risk.
She said: "The less appliances we have, the longer the time the public have to wait, the longer the firefighters have to wait for backup crews, which put them at risk. But it's also more and more difficult for the control staff to actually find resources to cover the gaps when they've got protracted incidents or even any smaller incidents."
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said: “Plans to cut Dorset and Wiltshire fire and rescue service will put homes, communities and public safety at risk.
“Firefighters are already under immense pressure to keep communities safe, doing more with less. Since 2010 we have lost 1 in 5 firefighters to cuts in the UK.
“Slashing resources and downgrading fire cover means people waiting longer for help, but every second counts at a fire. The fire authority must put public safety before cost-cutting and stop these dangerous cuts."
Response from DWFRS
In a statement, the local Fire Service has said:
"As with many public sector organisations, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are facing significant financial challenges, and we have a programme of work in place to make sure we are sustainable for the future. There is a requirement for all fire and rescue services to review their community risk profile to provide value for money services to our communities.
"Following a comprehensive fire cover review, we are looking at the position, the number and type of our resources to make sure these meet the changing risk profile across our Service area – we need to make sure our resources are in the right place based on community need. Fundamental to the fire cover review is maintaining, and where we can, improving our response to emergency incidents, continuing to be there when our communities need us.
"Whilst the data suggests that the removal of some fire engines is the right thing to do, and this presents essential savings to help our financial challenges, this is also a programme of work that includes some reinvestment and will enable us to improve fire cover by increasing the number of wholetime firefighter posts at Westlea fire station and upgrading Amesbury and Dorchester fire stations from on-call only to on-call and wholetime.
"The detailed data analysis of seven on-call stations, informed the decision to remove the second fire engine at Corsham, Marlborough, Sturminster Newton and Wareham fire stations. The first fire engine will remain at these stations to ensure we can be there when our communities need us.
"The decision has also been made to remove the second fire engine at Poole fire station, which is crewed by wholetime firefighters. Although Poole fire station will maintain the first fire engine, crewed by our wholetime firefighters as well as retain the third fire engine crewed by on-call firefighters. These decisions are made under the delegation of the Chief Fire Officer and all changes will take effect by April 2025.
"Dependant on our financial settlement for 2025/26 we will review the proposal to remove the second fire engine at another three on-call stations – Sherborne. Portland and Wimborne. This review will happen in January 2025.
"The recruitment process for more wholetime firefighters is starting in the Autumn, in addition to our continued campaigns to recruit on-call firefighters at stations where we need them."